12 Hours
by Shiny Vapor
Summary: When Toothiana needs a break from her sisters late at night, she slips away and takes the elevator down to do some laundry. Coincidentally, her crush is also headed for a late night escape. Their worlds collide when a sudden twist of fate forces the two to spend the next twelve hours together. AU. JackxTooth.
1. Hour 1

**A/N: I saw ROTG in theaters and recently got it on Blu-Ray. I fell in love all over again and since I'm a shipping whore…JACK X TOOTH…so yeah. That's the whole focus of this fic so if you're not into that then it's probably best you walk away now. Totes AU.**

Toothiana snuck out of her apartment. Her younger sisters were making it difficult to study so she decided to do laundry instead. The laundry room was located in the basement, which Tooth hated. Putting on her iPod; Tooth tried not to think about its location. It was winter and freezing but since she waited so long to do laundry all she had to wear was a pair of shorts and a colorful T-shirt. She threw her flip flops on for convenience and hurried to the elevator. Tooth's short brown hair danced as she ran. Her violet irises, due to albinism in the eyes, closed. She bopped her head to the beat as she walked; already knowing the layout by heart. Tooth, however, didn't expect someone else to be waiting for the elevator.

Their bodies crashed causing Tooth's eyes to instantly open. One of her head phones fell out in the process as Tooth herself nearly fell back. A strong grip tightened around her wrist and tugged her back up. She fell back onto her feet staring forward intently at her savoir with both awe and embarrassment.

"Are you uh…alright?"

Of course it was him. She dolled herself up every day in hopes that he would see her. And the one time she looked like an absolute mess he had to be there. Cursing in her head Tooth forced a smile.

"O-oh, yes! I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed pulling away from the boy.

He looked roughly her age only taller but Tooth was quite short to begin with. His brown hair was lighter than hers and his eyes blue. She noticed he wore the same blue hoodie everyday no matter the weather. She wondered why but the mystery of it only intrigued her more. Though, it could be something as simple as being his favorite thing to wear or his only hoodie.

"It's no problem." He stated with a smile.

Tooth nearly squealed out loud but remained silent. Her eyes dead focused on his beautiful teeth. When the elevator door opened the two stepped inside. The boy pressed the button for the lobby and, before Tooth could press it, he pressed the basement button for her.

"Laundry, huh?"

The basket of dirty clothes was a dead giveaway.

"That obvious?"

The boy smiled once more causing Tooth's inside to melt as the two enjoyed a quick laugh together. They both lived on the highest floor of the building. Tooth knew the elevator wouldn't take that long but she yearned for time to slow down that way she could remain in her crush's presence. He was new she noted. Moving in only a few months ago. Tooth recalled the first time she saw him. It was the start of fall and school. Tooth was rushing to get to class when she passed by him in the hall way. He didn't notice her, of course, as he gathered his mail in his arms.

Hoping to at least get his name Tooth forced herself to speak but once she started it was difficult to stop herself, "I've never seen you in the laundry room before. You must be new here. Are you new?" She knew he was but she needed an opening.

The boy seemed to be taken off guard by her sudden questions. Glancing her way a shy smile came to his face as he nodded, "Yeah I do laundry and yeah I'm new here."

Tooth felt a wave of nervousness hit her. His smile was like kryptonite to her, "O-oh. Yeah, I mean who doesn't do laundry right?" _Stupid! _Instant regret.

The boy blinked at first before laughing. Tooth was embarrassed but his laughter was contagious. She found herself laughing as well. A smile set upon her face as confidence crept up on her.

"My name's Toothiana but everyone calls me Tooth." Introducing herself was always the hard part due to her odd name. Toothiana rubbed the back of her neck nervously as she pushed on, "What's your name?"

But he didn't laugh. He just seemed surprised.

"Jack." He said firmly.

Tooth's smile became warm.

Finally she knew his name, "Nice to meet you, Jack."

And that would have been enough for her. At least for now. Meeting the boy she had a crush on. Learning his name and sharing a few laughs with him. She was content. But fate had other plans for them.

"Nice to meet you too, Toothiana."

A calm breeze ran through Tooth's body. Then suddenly the elevator shook violently. The basket in Tooth's grasp fell to the floor as she fell against the wall behind her. A knot formed in her stomach immediately as the elevator came to a stop. Jack balanced himself well enough and as if on reflex he grabbed Tooth's arm with narrowed eyes on the elevator door.

"The hell…" Jack questioned as he let go of Tooth, "Are you okay?" He asked turning his head to her.

Tooth nodded weakly as she gathered herself, "Are we…a-are we stuck?"

Jack frowned. He didn't seem to like the frightened expression on Tooth's face. Turning his back to her he walked over to the elevator doors and touched them, "Seems that way…" Then pressed a few buttons before hitting the emergency call button.

Nothing.

Tooth shook a bit, "This is bad. This is really bad. What are we gonna do, Jack!?"

Jack stared at the buttons for a moment before snapping out of it. He smiled weakly turning back to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Hey, it's gonna be okay. I'm sure someone will look for you soon and worst case we just gotta wait it out till the morning."

_Look for me? What about him?_

It was then that Tooth realized Jack's hands on her. They were so cold and yet her face became so warm from his touch. A tint of pink came across her cheeks as she could only nod her head to him.

"Good." Jack seemed relieved and smiled.

Pulling his hands away he bent down and began gathering the clothes that fell on the floor. Tooth's body jerked as she quickly dropped to the ground and tossed the clothes back inside the basket. It was all female clothing so aside from tops and bottoms there were a whole lot of bras and underwear. The blush on Tooth's face deepened as she attempted to gather the clothes before Jack could touch any more.

"T-t-thanks. I got it!"

Tooth was quick and before Jack could object she was done. A chuckle escaped his lips as he stood back up with her. Then blinked as he looked down at her dangling head phone. The music was still going. It was in her ear as well but being around Jack made her tune it out. She was captivated by him. But when she noticed his attention drawn to the pink string falling down her shirt she shyly pulled the other ear plug out.

"Sorry." She mumbled, though even she wasn't sure what she was sorry about.

"No, it's okay. I didn't even notice until now. You like rock music?"

Tooth pulled her IPod out of her pocket and turned it off, "Y-yeah. I like most music…but whenever I'm mad it's like the perfect music."

"Why are you mad?"

Toothiana kicked the floor, "My sisters really bug me sometimes. I do everything around the house and all I ask for is some quiet time to study. I can't even have that…"

"Ah, laundry's starting to make sense now."

"Yeah…What about you? It's pretty late and I noticed you pressed the lobby button…"

Jack glanced away from her for a moment, "I was…going for a walk."

"A walk? But it's so cold outside and late." She added.

"I don't really get cold." Jack admitted shyly.

Tooth beamed, "That's amazing! I wish I didn't get cold. I freeze my butt off in the winter but the summer's nice. Spring's my favorite though." She was rambling but he didn't seem to mind. Her heart skipped a beat when he looked back at her with a smile on his face.

Toothiana caught his warm look and relaxed a bit as she mimicked it. She felt so calm and comfortable with Jack now that she didn't think about the words she spoke next before she spoke them.

"Your teeth are beautiful." She confessed.

There was a brief moment of awkward shock as the two both burned up. Tooth's eyes grew wide as Jack could only blink. He could see how horrified she was and couldn't help but laugh. His laughter was like a remedy to her nerves.

"Thanks."

Tooth stared at his smile with a dazed look in her eyes. She quickly snapped out of it though when the elevator shook. Jack glanced around but Toothiana closed her eyes completely. When it finally stopped Tooth held her chest wanting to feel relieved but she had a bad feeling. Worse than before. A loud yelped escaped her lips as the elevator fell downward with great sped.

"Jack!"

She reached for him only to fall. Jack reacted quickly and caught Tooth but fell back due to the force and hit his head hard. Tooth cried out until the elevator finally stopped. The lights flickered on and off in tiny sparks before going off completely. Tooth's heart raced; pounding violently out of her chest and against Jack's. She could feel his heart beat against her own and something confused her. His heart wasn't racing in fact it was very light.

"J-jack…"

She mumbled lowly not wanting to leave his warm embrace. But she sat up in haste when he didn't answer her.

"Jack?...Jack!"

He was unconscious.

And for the remainder of the first hour she was alone.

**A/N: Like Jack I too don't get cold. Not sure if there's a name for it but I do get hot very easily and in the summer am prone to heat strokes. Random facts about the author ftw~**


	2. Hour 2

**A/N: First things first, thank you all so much for your reviews. And it's so nice to know I'm not the only one who doesn't get cold. Being born in the winter probably had something to do with it. Also, yes this story will have 12 chapters in total which will be representing each hour. So without further ado here is the next hour!**

**P.S It's a long one. Hope that's okay!**

_Jack felt cold for the first time in a long time. He looked around him but he was alone. It was dark and empty but his body felt light. _

_As if he were floating._

_Just then, a wave of energy crashed against his form; causing him to curl up in pain. It was at that moment that Jack realized he was under water. He could feel cold frost forming in his lungs. It made him want to open his mouth and release the cold but the fear of drowning swept over him. _

_And he remained still. _

_Sinking._

"_Jack?"_

_Jack looked up. He knew that voice._

"_Jack!"_

_His thin boy felt an instant surge of power. Without hesitation, he pushed up with his arms and began swimming to the surface. He needed to get to that voice. They sounded desperate. _

_Worried. _

_About him? _

_He didn't want to worry anyone. He wasn't worth crying over. Not even for a stranger; maybe even more so. _

_The water felt heavy the closer he got to the top. It crushed down on his skin forcing him back but Jack pushed forward. He wouldn't let the voice down. A small light hovered over the surface. Jack could feel the sun tickling away at his fingertips as he reached out of the water. _

_He was so close. He just needed another push and-_

"_JAAACK!"_

_His body sank like a rock. _

_The voice was different now; more familiar. _

"_**Olivia**__?" _ _Jack questioned out loud forcing the water inside. _

_His body jerked about as he grabbed at his own throat. It didn't matter what he did, however, for Jack couldn't stop the water from rushing inside. The boy's body went numb instantly as tiny prickles stabbed at his insides all over. He needed to breathe. He wanted to breathe. But breathing only made it worse. Only forced more water inside. His mind raced with memories. Small, meaningless, memories. Like his mother making him a sandwich. Or his first time ice skating. And then something amazing happened. Jack didn't hurt anymore. His pain was washed away and he felt at peace. _

_Then, at that exact moment, all Jack could wonder was…_

_Was this how Olivia felt when __**she**__ died?_

*Jack's eyelids flickered opened. It was dark like in his dream. Cold as well but something was different. He didn't feel cold. In fact, Jack felt rather warm. He felt something soft under his cheek and lifted his head slightly to see what it could be. He squinted his eyes a bit to focus in the dark. Once they did his cheeks burned. It was Toothiana's lap. Jack turned to look at her face but his embarrassment quickly faded when he noticed her closed eyes. She must have placed his head on her lap after he was knocked unconscious. Who knows how long he was out or how many times she tried to wake him before she fell asleep herself.

Jack sat up straight but when he did Tooth fell over. He reached out to catch her but she fell directly on his shoulder. A light chuckle escaped his lips as he remained still for her. He didn't care if he was uncomfortable or not. He just didn't want to wake the poor girl.

The air was cold around them but her body felt quite warm. Jack's eyes fell on Tooth's colorful T-shirt. He followed the patterns and traced the colors in his mind before realizing how perverted he must have seemed. From a third person's view it would appear he was staring at a girl's chest but in all modesty he was simply drawn to the many colors. Like a hummingbird to a flower he just couldn't escape its hold.

He was embarrassed again. Even though no one else was there to see it still bothered him. So, he decided to focus on something else. Toothiana was wearing shorts. _No Jack. _There were no colors or patterns to excuse his eyes there. Though, he did find it odd that the girl would wear shorts late at night and in the winter at that. Jack's blue irises moved up more. Passed the colorful T-Shirt and to the sleeping face. Tooth had a pretty narrow face with full, long lashes. Her hair fell all around her face almost cupping it with tiny strands that almost looked like feathers scattered about. He noticed she had a few dyed strands of blonde, purple and green. Something he didn't notice before. He remembered the purplish-pink color of Toothiana eyes and wondered if she wore contacts.

Toothiana winced in her sleep. This made Jack slightly uneasy. He wasn't sure what to do so he moved his arm for her and she fell a bit more. Her small body rested against his own almost perfectly. As if the two were giant puzzle pieces fitting into each other for the first time. Jack's arm moved again but this time wrapped around Toothiana. He felt her heart beat gently against his own flickering one. It was soothing; almost like lullaby, and Jack couldn't help but fall asleep himself.

"M-mom…dad…!"

Jack's eyes instantly opened as the warm feeling was short lived. Toothiana twitched a few times in her sleep as she cried in short muffles.

"Mommy…daddy…please don't leave me…don't leave us."

Jack's eyelids lowered. Toothiana must have been having a nightmare but her cries sounded like that of a broken record. As if she chanted the same pleads before.

"Tooth? Toothiana? Please wake up." He said gently as he shook her gentler.

Toothiana gripped down on him but slowly her eyes fluttered open. Her vision was blurry but once she saw Jack she hugged him. Jack's arms froze for a split second before he hugged her back. He wanted to ask but didn't feel it was his place.

All he knew at that moment was that he wanted to see her smile again.

"Hey…hey, it's okay. It was just a bad dream right?"

Toothiana's heart hardened in her chest. Her embarrassment was put on hold as she tried her hardest not to cry. Instead she focused on Jack's soft voice as well as the strong grip he had on her.

"I-I'm sorry." She managed to mutter while pulling away from him.

But Jack only smiled, "Don't be."

Toothiana's heart skipped a beat when she looked into his eyes. He wasn't humoring her, she could tell, he was being genuine. She wished desperately that it was for her and only her but she knew this was clearly just his nature. He was a caring person in general and it had nothing to do with her. She was foolish thinking a stranger could fall in love with her so easily.

The self-broken-hearted girl forced a smile and wiped her eyes.

"Are you okay now?"

Tooth nodded wholeheartedly, "Y-yes! Like you said it was just a nightmare."

Jack, however, wasn't convinced. Her smile was painted on for his sake but it wasn't real. He knew her real smile now. It was the same one she had given him moments before the elevator stopped working.

"When…did you wake up?" Tooth's embarrassment poured out with this realization.

Jack noticed her sudden change in demeanor and as if it were contagious grew embarrassed himself. He, on the other hand, played it off well.

"A few minutes ago." He responded with a chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head.

Jack then winced when he accidently touched a nasty bump.

"How long was I out for?"

"A-about an hour. Maybe forty minutes or so."

Jack whistled, "Damn," before looking back to her and smiling, "Sorry about passing out on ya. That wasn't very cool."

He joked but Toothiana didn't laugh.

"It was my fault."

"Huh? What was?" the boy sounded confused.

"If I didn't fall over you wouldn't of caught me and then you wouldn't have fallen and hit your head-"

Jack laughed causing Tooth to grow slightly angry, "W-why are you laughing?"

"How could you say that something I reacted to was your fault? I moved on my own Tooth. It's not your fault."

Toothiana wanted to fight back but she froze. Her cheeks burned up from the sound of her nickname falling out of his mouth. She liked the sound of it. He made it sound so casual, as if they were good friends.

"T-thank you."

Jack was a bit surprised but nodded right away, "You know I'm glad, actually."

Toothiana held her breath as he continued, "If I didn't choose to go for a walk when I did you would have been stuck here and had to deal with the elevator breaking down all by yourself."

The petite girl couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was happy about being trapped in an elevator with her? She was happy too but her reasons were far too embarrassing to admit. So, she played along.

"And if I didn't choose to do laundry when I did you would be the one trapped in the elevator all by _yourself_!" She then smiled back, "So I'm glad too…that we could keep each other company that is. Not being trapped in an elevator." She clarified.

Jack chuckled as Toothiana laughed.

"S-so um…Jack may I ask you something?"

Toothiana always did this. She always had to ruin the moment.

"Sure."

The two sat beside each other. Jack unaware of Toothiana's feelings and Toothiana unaware of the embrace Jack secretively shared with her.

"Earlier…you said that someone would look for me," Before she finished his face had already shifted into that of a grim expression, "Why did you say that? Why wouldn't anyone come and look for you?"

Toothiana regretted the question the second she began asking it. When his facial expression changed, it felt as though a knife were tearing its way out of her chest from the inside. She wanted to take it back. See him smile again or hear him laugh but he looked away from her entirely.

A hard lump formed in her throat, "I'm…sorry. I didn't mean to…j-just forget it."

"I live alone."He responded coldly.

Toothiana's eyes danced around his silhouette trying hopelessly to find him, "What about your _parents_?" The word hit Tooth hard.

She then wondered if Jack may be like her.

"They blame me."

Toothiana didn't quite understand but she felt something inside her knot. Her lungs tightened within her chest as she waited breathlessly for him to continue. Jack's attention stirred away from their conversation, however, when the lights in the elevator flickered back on. Toothiana felt only partly relived and moved to look at the buttons. She tried pressing a few before looking to the door. In that moment, the doors shifted and moved open.

"Be careful." Jack shouted as he pulled Toothiana away.

"J-jack! What is it?"

It was then that Toothiana noticed the dark opening. Her magenta eyes couldn't help but peer over as Jack moved her away. They were still quite high up and seeing the drop made the teen's stomach churn. Her body tensed but thankfully Jack was there to keep her balanced. Even after the two moved back to the furthest end of the elevator, Toothiana still felt as though she could fall in.

"Jack…"

Jack rubbed Toothiana's back, "It'll be okay, Tooth. The elevator will move soon."

Toothiana frowned but nodded her head as she stared blankly at the black abyss before them, "It's so eerie, isn't it?"

Jack's eyes were glued onto the open space as well, "…very."

The small square they resided in suddenly felt smaller. Toothiana was also unaware of how familiar the dark space was to the lanky boy beside her. But he smiled through his hidden pain. A reassuring smile that made Tooth feel safe; as though everything was going to be alright. She trusted Jack. A boy she had just met. A boy that not too long ago was nothing more than a far away crush, a dream.

"Do you wanna play a game?"

His sudden question caught Toothiana off guard.

"A game?"

"It's called 20 questions."

Toothiana's mind raced back to the question she had asked him moments earlier. She wished more than anything to ask him again but remembered her regret soon after. Perhaps she could ask him other questions that would tell her more about him. Then she wondered what kind of questions he would ask her.

"Tooth?"

Toothiana shook her head to snap herself back to reality, "O-oh, yes! Sorry. Sure. So what? We just…ask each other questions?"

Jacked nodded, "We'll go back and forth so that's ten questions each. And you have to answer no matter what."

Toothiana gulped causing Jack to laugh, "There are a few rules though. Like you can't ask more than one question at a time or ask the same question the person just asked you. We can make other rules if you like. Ya know, like no personal questions? If you feel uncomfortable that is."

"If you uh…feel uncomfortable then we can make that a rule." She answered quickly.

"I'm easy." He said with a shrug and Toothiana nodded.

"Alright, so who goes first?"

Jack tapped his chin before smirking, "I can start. Hmm, so Toothiana tell me…what is your least favorite thing?" **(1)**

Toothiana blinked at first before rubbing the back of her head shyly, "That's easy. I HATE when I forget something."

Jack chuckled, "Fair enough. Well, your turn."

She then thought for a moment. Toothiana didn't want to start off with anything personal. She also didn't want to bring her previous question back up. Not yet at least. So she thought and she thought hard and then she remembered something.

**(2)** "Your hoodie!"

Jack blinked at first not fully prepared for her sudden outburst.

"Um…yeah. What about it?"

"I always see you wearing it. It's like you don't wear anything else! Is it like your favorite hoodie or maybe that's the only outside wear you own?"

She was rambling a bit and didn't acknowledge how offensive she could have been perceived. What if he were poor? But Jack, to her surprise, didn't seem to mind. He only revealed a weak smile and said, "It was a gift."

Tooth smiled warmly at the thought then quickly wondered out loud, "By who?"

Jack put a finger to his mouth silencing her.

"Oh right. Rules." She teased and Jack nodded.

"My turn."

Toothiana's heart hit her throat. He hadn't even asked her anything yet and she was already losing it. She feared he would rush into personal questions. Perhaps if she had a boyfriend or exes or God forbid if she were a virgin. Tooth's face lost color completely at the thought only to be lit up in a red hue of embarrassment. Jack watched her face shift back and forth and he couldn't help but laugh. He assumed she was jumping to conclusions and felt he needed to relieve her from her own mind.

**(3)** "You're in school aren't you…What are you in school for?"

A million tiny weights removed themselves off Toothiana's shoulders almost instantly. The question was personal but in a simplistic and rather good way. She didn't feel embarrassed anymore and in fact was dying to tell him. Ever since she made that stupid comment about his teeth she wanted him to know why.

"I'm studying to become a dentist."

Jack was slightly surprised. He assumed fashion due to her clear love of colors but then it started to make sense. She didn't say his teeth were beautiful because she had a crush on him. Clearly, she said so because she must have had a natural love for teeth.

Hence dentistry.

"That's alotta work, huh? But good money! I'm sure you'll make it."

Toothiana glanced to her feet shyly, "Thanks, Jack."

It was at that moment that Toothiana wished to ask him if he were in school and what he might be taking. But all these stupid rules prevented her from asking more than one question at once. So, she thought about it for a moment and realized he must've lived alone. Perhaps he wasn't in school at all. And if you weren't in school and you lived by yourself then that leaves only one option.

**(4)** "Where do you work?"

Jack seemed impressed, or maybe surprised, that she figured most of his boring life out already. He smiled none the less and answered, "I work at the ice cream shop on 3rd in the morning and the docks at night."

Toothiana winced, _two jobs? _She expected only one and something simple as well. Though, when she actually thought about it there would be no way of him having just a part time job. Living by one's self cost a lot of money. And even with the help of the government a person would need a full time job. Maybe even two like Jack. The docks seemed so…difficult. So much manual labor and at night. Toothiana would never be able to do something like that.

Jack chuckled noticing her face cringed, "It's not so bad."

But Tooth pouted, "C-can't you get help with mone-"

Toothiana bit her bottom lip before speaking again, "Your turn."

And Jack just nodded.

**(5)** "How many sisters do you have?"

"Six."

Her response seemed to shock him but Toothiana was quick with another question.

**(6) **"What's your favorite thing to do?"

Jack caught on and was quicker, "Parkour."

Toothiana's face lit up with interest but Jack continued their race.

**(7)** "What's your favorite color?" He asked with a smirk hoping to slow her down.

Toothiana bit her lip again. She liked too many colors but she didn't want to lose their imaginary race so she blurted out the first one that came to mind, "Pink."

**(8) **"Favorite holiday?"

Jack smirked, "Halloween, most embarrassing thing you do frequently?" **(9)**

He was merciless!

"U-uh…" Toothiana was stumbling but grew determined, "Dance in the shower."

_He wants to play dirty, huh?_

Jack paused for a moment before busting out laughing.

_I can play dirty too._

"Are you a virgin?" **(10)**

The boy nearly choked on the air he was laughing on. His blue eyes shot to Toothiana. She looked slightly angry but beyond that she was blushing. She then forced a playful smirk as if she had already won but Jack's smirk defeated her own.

"Maybe."

A loophole.

Toothiana's face puffed up liked an angry bird, "T-that's cheating. You're suppose to answer."

Jack folded his arms over his chest, "I did answer."

He was toying with her and winning. Toothiana didn't like losing so she vowed no matter what he asked she would answer with great speed.

"Fine. Your question?" She asked fully prepared.

**(11) **"First kiss."

Toothiana felt her cheeks burn up. She knew she was safe from the virgin question but she didn't think about all the other questions that could be asked within that similar category.

"Fifth grade. He was an eighth grader. It was in the backyard of our school. We're actually still good friends…and he lives in the building." She added as if to make him jealous.

It worked.

"What's his name?"

Finally, Toothiana had one over him.

"Ah, ah, ah it's my turn."

Jack frowned.

A devilish smirk appeared on the girl's face, "Guilty pleasure?" **(12)**

"Ice skating."

Before Tooth could react Jack was back on the ball, "What's his name?" **(13)**

"Who?"

Jack's face crinkled a bit, "The guy who kissed you."

"Are we still on that?"

When Jack didn't answer she did, "Aster."

Jack blinked, "The tall guy?"

Toothiana blinked back, "You know him?" **(14)**

"Not exactly. Did you two ever date?" **(15)**

Tooth shook her head, "You can't ask more than one-"

"You already asked me a question; if I knew him."

"What? N-no that wasn't…that wasn't my question!"

Jack's smirk signified that the upper hand had changed.

"Answer my question."

"You're a cheater Jack!" She huffed as she folded her arms over her chest, "But no. We never dated. We've just been friends for a long time and first kisses were a big deal and I didn't wanna kiss a stranger or some guy that would turn out to be a jerk so I decided a friend would have to do."

Jack seemed satisfied with her answer. His jealousy quickly subsided and he moved his hand her way like a gesture for her to continue, "Your turn, princess."

Toothiana blushed at the playful nickname he'd suddenly given her, "I-I…um…" But she had to compose herself, "Are you happy?" **(16)**

Jack, who had remained smiling, fell grim. Her question seemed to drain the life from his face. As if he was wearing a mask all along. Toothiana's hands fell to her chest as she gripped down lightly on her shirt. The same regretful lump appeared in her throat now as she desperately wished to take her question back. She didn't even know where the question had come from to begin with. It was as though a part of her knew the truth.

"No." Jack replied with a smile, "I'm not." And the smile fell off his face.

Toothiana could feel her heart shatter in her chest but, before she could examine his response any further, the boy was back for more.

"Your nightmare…about your parents." His eyes softened and darkened in the same moment, "What happened to them?" **(17)**

"…my parents…" Tears came to her eyes as she recalled them, "They died."

Jack clenched his fists slightly. He opened his mouth to speak but Toothiana continued, "It was two years after baby Tooth was born." She giggled softly at the name, "That's not my sister's name but she looks so much like me that everyone just called her that. And I suppose the nickname stuck." She derailed the conversation a bit, "Whenever I'm outside with BT everyone just assumes I'm a young mother. I get a lot of looks…of pity or disgust…"

"Toothiana…"

Tooth wiped the tears from her eyes before they could hit her cheek, "It's alright. I don't mind. I'm proud of my little sisters and people can think whatever they want but…as for my parents…what happened to them…they were both killed. A robbery late at night I'm told. I was sleeping at the time. My parents…they were so much in love. And every Friday night they went for a walk late at night. Just the two of them, ya know? Away from their jobs. Away from the kids, heh. I never minded…but…then," She winced grabbing at the bottom of her T-shirt, "They never came back. All I remember is waking up to flashing lights and police men."

Toothiana didn't notice the tears pouring from her face. The poor girl couldn't even feel them as she spoke. A weak smiling coming to her as she finished, "I used to be so selfish. I used to accuse them of leaving me. Of leaving us…but one day I just grew up. And became a sort of surrogate mother to my sisters."

A cold hand grazed Tooth's face. Her numb eyes shot up and looked to Jack who was, suddenly, very close to her. His eyes were so soft. Sad but understanding. Toothiana couldn't help it. She touched his hand and clung to it as he wiped away the rest of her tears. Once they were gone, however, she cried harder. Jack allowed the hurt girl to fall into his chest. He let her cry on him; her tears sinking deep into his hoodie.

"…I'm so sorry Tooth…"

Toothiana's tiny hands fell to his chest as well. They gripped down on the blue material as she shoved her face further into him. When Tooth's parents died she completely closed up. She never spoke about their death or how she felt about it to anyone. And now for the first time, in their building elevator, she was. She was with her crush and she was bearing her heart and soul out to him. And he accepted her. Whether or not it was the way she wanted it to be, it was still what she needed.

"I'm not happy either Jack. I smile just like you. To everyone. I lie all the time to their faces with smiles. But their just lies, Jack. How do you do it?" **(18)**

Jack's hands moved to Toothiana's elbows. His eyes stared dully at the blackness behind them as he spoke, "I don't."

He then pulled her away from him. Toothiana's face was still wet and red. She wiped it quickly not wanting him to see but he did. He studied her face and waited for her to look at him. Her magenta irises reached his blue ones. For a moment they just stared at one another until Jack spoke again.

He didn't want her to cry anymore.

"What makes you happy, Toothiana?" **(19)**

And his smile returned to her.

Sniffing back the end of her tears Toothiana thought out loud, "T-teeth, colors, birds, d-dancing with my sisters…a-and," She wanted to tell him that he made her happy.

That seeing the stranger she crushed on in the halls was enough to get her through her daily days. But now he was there with her. Now she knew him. There was no one way she could go back to the way things used to be. Where the two would pass each other in the halls without a word.

"And?"

"Seeing…you in the halls made me happy."

"Me?"

Toothiana's eyes danced around his, "I always…wanted to talk to you but I was always…shy." She confessed causing Jack to blush.

He then smiled which seemed to sooth the poor wreck that was beneath him.

"Well now you can talk to me whenever you like."

Toothiana felt her stomach flutter as she smiled back. Her eyes then glanced to the side as she slowly turned around. The darkness behind them felt rattled, "If we get out of here." She added.

"We'll get out of here right, Jack?" **(20)**

"We will." Jack said firmly, "I promise."


	3. Hour 3

The lights in the elevator gave off much needed heat. Toothiana was relieved because the cold air was finally getting to her. Her bare olive legs trembled slightly as she put her hands on her thighs to clam them. She then let out a low sigh as she slipped against the wall and sat hugging her legs. She rested her chin within them and looked up at Jack who had been trying at the buttons again.

A sigh of frustration escaped his lips but when he turned to the girl he flashed her a reassuring smile.

Toothiana smiled back weakly before looking down at the elevator floor. She remembered to bring her IPod but she couldn't bring a cell phone. Her eyes then lit up as she looked back to Jack. Perhaps he had one. She then bit her lower lip realizing if he did he would have tried it already.

But it was worth a shot none the less, "Hey Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you um…have a cell phone on you by any chance?"

Jack frowned, "Uh…technically, yeah."

Toothiana shot up, "What? You do!? Why didn't you use it? Come on, try it!"

Jack ran a hand over his hair, "Thing is, Tooth. It kind of…well broke when we fell."

Toothiana grabbed her head, "Of course it did."

Jack's frown remained, "You already blamed yourself for me falling. I didn't want you to blame yourself for that as well."

Toothiana frowned as well, "But it is my fault. I'm sorry, Jack."

"See? This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. Don't worry, okay?"

"N-no. I'll get you a new phone. I promise."

"Tooth…"

Toothiana's eyes filled with tears, "And then you'll never have to see me again."

Jack raised an eyebrow, "…what?"

Toothiana held her head once more, "If we…get out of here alive you'll never have to see me again."

Tooth's eyes shot open when she felt a cold hand touch her shoulder. They widened slightly when she felt him grip down on her a bit. Her magenta eyes shifted to his face. He looked almost angry but there was also a hint of concern.

"We've been in here for two hours already." He began to say as he placed his other hand on her other shoulder, "I understand you're upset but don't say things like that. I promised we'd get out so we will." He finished firmly.

When he smiled Toothiana felt her heart melt, "I'm so-"

Jack planted his finger on her lips causing the girl to blush.

"No more of that either."

Toothiana blinked a few times before smiling warmly, "Alright, Jack." She replied through his index finger.

Jack pulled away from her seemingly satisfied, "Good."

Toothiana pouted as he walked back over to the buttons. She walked over as well wondering if she could help in any way. Jack stepped cautiously closer to the abyss before them. Toothiana's heart flew to her throat as she grabbed his arm fearfully. The thought of him falling to his death repeated in the small girl's head. Her fingertips gripped down on his skin until she heard an auditable wince.

"Tooth…"

Toothiana loosened her grip on him.

"I won't fall."

Toothiana bit down on her lower lip hard, "But it's dangerous."

"I'm just looking. Don't worry."

Toothiana slowly pulled her hand away from him, "You won't fall?"

"I promise."

His promises put Toothiana's mind at ease. As she pulled away, however, her mind raced back to her previous horrid thoughts. Her hands clenched together tightly. Her breath ceased while she watched in dismay as the boy leaned over slightly. Tooth swallowed hard on the air as Jack reached up and touched the top of the elevator for support. His eyes peered through the darkness as he tried to search for a clear opening into the next floor above then looked below for the door way of the floor below. There was a look of distress on the boy's face as he moved away. His movement put Toothiana's heart at ease as she inhaled deeply.

"There's no way." He muttered.

"That's alright, Jack. Just…come over here." She urged.

Jack turned to Toothiana and smirked, "You're really worried aren't you?"

Toothiana blushed hard as her face puffed up a bit, "I-I'm not joking around Jack. Get over here now."

Jack's playful smirk changed and became a bit more mischievous. Tooth could feel her heart hit her throat once more. A clear sign that something she didn't like were about to happen. And happen it did. Jack moved his foot back over to the open space. He threatened to move in more and allow the darkness to sweep him in.

"Jack!" Toothiana cried out as she rushed him.

Jack chuckled as she pulled him away so forcefully the two fell into the wall behind her. Tooth grunted lowly as Jack's body hit her own hard. She was pinned and it hurt but her cheeks remained blushing. Jack put his arm out and pushed himself off her but kept a small distance between the two.

"T-that…wasn't funny." Toothiana managed to say as she caught her breath.

"Heh, sorry Tooth but I couldn't resist. You need to lighten up."

Toothiana's cheeks puffed up more but before she could respond the elevator moved. Jack spun around quickly as Toothiana clung to his back worriedly. The two watched as it moved down one floor slowly. The elevator came to a stop. Then, as the two moved to leave the elevator moved yet again. Their path was blocked by darkness until they could see a sliver of hope. The elevator came to a complete stop once more but there was now a tiny crawl space over head. Jack was tall enough to reach it but not small enough to crawl through.

Toothiana slipped past Jack, "I can crawl through."

"What? No way."

Toothiana turned to him, "If you give me a boost, Jack. It'll work. I'll crawl through and get help for you."

Jack's frown fought against her words but Toothiana was determined, "Please, Jack." She didn't want to leave him all alone but it was their only chance. Jack let out an aggravated sigh from his nostrils but nodded.

Toothiana flashed him assuring smile, much like he would do for her. Then with much caution she walked closer to the edge. Tooth peered down for a moment. The height didn't bother her. The darkness, on the other hand, tugged at her rib cage. Jack put his hands on Toothiana's waist. She let out a girlish squeak as he did and blushed being quite embarrassed by her reaction. Jack chuckled lightly but once he saw how small the crawl space was his face grew grim.

"Are you sure about this, Toothiana?"

The girl shivered underneath his touch but nodded her head stubbornly, "I can do this." And with that Jack lifted her up. Toothiana reached out and grabbed onto objects that weren't there as she kicked her legs a bit. The hellion below her winced but kept his grip on her. It was evident she had nothing to grab onto so she curled her hands into tiny fists and attempted to drag herself.

Suddenly, the lights in the elevator flickered off. A knot formed in Jack's stomach as the elevator itself rumbled. Toothiana cried out unable to move but Jack was quick to pull her back down. The small space of hope was taken away as the elevator moved down. It remained in between the two floors revealing only more emptiness yet again. Toothiana fell into Jacks arms who stumbled back. But Jack reacted better this time around as he put his foot out and caught himself. He could feel Tooth's small frame trembling harshly against his hoodie.

"Are you…okay, Tooth?"

Toothiana was quiet.

Jack let out a faint sigh, "You're not doing that again."

When she remained quiet Jack grew concerned.

"Tooth?"

Toothiana moved away from him and held her arms. She didn't want to talk about what had just happened. How terrified she was about almost being crashed. How useless she felt in aiding their escape. How Jack needed to comfort her more times than he should have. Toothiana clenched the ends of her T-shirt trying hard not to shiver. Then something caught the flustered girl by surprise. Her eyes shot up when she felt something warm engulf her. She struggled to get out but once on the other side all she could do was blink. She spun around and saw Jack wearing a smile on his face as well as a plain white shirt.

"J-jack?"

His hoodie fell loose on her tiny body as the sleeves poured over her small hands.

"Heh, hey you look good in it."

Toothiana's face lit up, "I-I do? N-no I couldn't wear it. It was a gift!"

Jack pat her head muffling her pleads, "You're cold aren't you?"

Toothiana pouted as she buried her face in the neck of his hoodie.

Jack chuckled before smiling, "Is it warm enough?"

"Y-yes." She stuttered trying to steady her heart beat.

The two teenagers were going on three hours together. Alone. In a dark small area. And within that time frame Toothiana showed more of her true self to him than she ever did to anyone else before. Standing there now in his hoodie, wearing a gift from someone she could only assume was special, Tooth wondered if this was the most anyone had seen of Jack as well. Her violet eyes danced around the elevator until they found his sparkling smile. He was her light in the dark. And she wanted him to know it.

"…Ja…"

Toothiana winced when the elevator suddenly jerked. Jack's body moved closer to hers as his grip fell tight. The two clung to one another as the room around them shook. It was different from before. The machine didn't move up or down but side to side. Jack's eyes narrowed as he stared into the shadows in front of them. He knew something was wrong. Worse than before. His eyes shot to Toothiana when he heard her cry out and the two slipped.

"J-Jack! We're leaning too much!"

Jack's palm hit Toothiana's chest abruptly. He shoved her against the wall as his other hand shot out grabbing the wall and bracing them. Tooth gasped roughly as the basket of laundry dropped. Her body reacted on reflex. As if the basket itself were a person she needed to protect.

"No Tooth!" Jack cried out as her tiny body moved under his own.

Toothiana reached for the basket. Even in the dark she could see the many colors within. The weight of her body, however, fell back as Jack slammed her against the wall. Tooth's eyes widened as the boy pulled away from her small frame and rushed over to the basket. A ball of spikes instantly formed in the pit of Toothiana's stomach. She couldn't recall rushing for the clothes. It was as if her body reacted to something she herself was unaware of. Different colors. They reminded her of herself and each of her sisters. But that wasn't it. There was something else. A nail dug itself into her spike ball. The ball shattered and she felt its many imaginary needles stab into her all over.

"Jack?" His lack of presence became well known to the dazed girl now.

Toothiana's head whip lashed to the entrance of the elevator. She watched in horror as the basket fell over. Seconds later Jack jumped over after it and was gone from her sight. His body was engulfed by the very darkness the two feared so greatly.

"Jaa…" His name dug itself into the barrel of her throat. It became stuck as her body froze. Wide eyes waited for a flash of him, "JACK!"

Finally, the elevator's shaking subsided. Toothiana rushed over without hesitating any further. She then fell to her knees just before the opening; in which the boy had fallen. Her body trembled as she feared looking over. Sweaty palms grasped at the blue materiel she was wearing. Her fingertips clung to Jack's gift for dear life as she slowly leaned over. A hard knot formed and twisted itself within her.

"Jack…please…don't…don't be dead!" She screamed.

_Bright red lights flashed through the curtains of Toothiana's bedroom window. A blaring sound followed after the lights as the small girl was awakened from her dreams. Her eyes fluttered open as she sat up. There was a draft leaking from the cracks of her door. Toothiana rubbed her eyes and glanced to her door upon hearing the faint sounds of footsteps. _

_Familiar footsteps._

"_Uncle Sandy?" She hiccupped slipping out of her blankets. _

_Sanderson was a family friend who watched the girls when their parents were away. Tooth knew her parents would be out tonight. They were never gone long. Just a short walk in the moonlight to rekindle their love each week. Toothiana wondered why Sandy would be there now. His tiny footsteps paced around from behind the door. The girl could see his shadow moving about and frowned. _

"_Uncle Sandy?" She spoke up opening the door._

_A flash of blonde hair moved in the way of the girl. He was quite short for a man. So, beyond him she could see a few police officers. Her stomach grew uneasy as the worry in Sanderson's face never left, even when he smiled and gestured the girl back inside. Toothiana walked slightly ahead of the man. Once near her bed he picked her up from behind and placed her back on her bed. The stocky man waited for Toothiana to get back under her covers before placing them over her. He smiled at her. It was weak and broken but strong._

"_W-where are mommy and daddy?"_

_Sanderson frowned. _

"_Uncle Sandy?"_

_He wanted to tell her. To be the one to explain everything to her. But the man was born a mute. Toothiana pouted waiting for him to answer her. When he paused she lifted up her hands and began signing. She was fairly new at it but learned quickly. Sanderson watched the girl sadly before closing his eyes. He wanted her to hear the news with her own ears. At the same time he didn't want a stranger to have to be the one to tell her. _

_Sanderson exhaled deeply. His eyes fell down before looking back at Toothiana cautiously. The unique color in her eyes shined brightly against the flashing lights beside them. But as he moved his hands, the glow in the young girl's eyes faded. Tears formed in the corners until her vision became blurry. Too blurry to see him finish. Her parents were dead. They kissed her and her sisters goodnight and they left. They left for good. She didn't need to know anything else. Not about how they were on their way back when a man approached them. Or about how her father protected her mother but it wasn't enough. No man's strength is stronger than that of a bullet. _

_How could she sleep now? _

_How could she dream ever again?_

_Her world changed before the sun could even come up. The light she knew that woke her up in the morning and left her at night was gone. But she would open her eyes and see it once more. Every day. The sun would come back up. And she would laugh and she would smile. But now the sun betrayed her. It would never show its face to her again. She was left alone there in the dark. Alone with her many sisters. Together but alone. Forever._

"Please don't…"

_Or at least…_

"Leave me!"

_She thought. _

A low grunt was heard briefly as a flash of rainbow shimmered near her line of sight. The basket slammed against the elevator floor as Jack slowly pulled himself back up. Toothiana's eyes widened as she watched the boy drag himself back into the elevator. He panted lightly but gathered himself quickly. The boy chuckled to himself in a sort of defense mechanism and looked to Toothiana with a smile on his face. The same reassuring smile he had been giving her for the past few hours.

"Jack…?" His name slipped out of her mouth in a low whisper.

Jack caught his breath and nodded.

"W-why…"

Jack's eyelids lowered as he finally spoke.

"I couldn't let you…not again."

Toothiana lunged forward. Jack's arms shot up as she hugged him tightly. A weak smile came to the boy's face as he slowly wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her face bury into his chest and heard she low cries. His eyes fell dim as he remembered how much he didn't want this. No one should ever cry for someone like him. He didn't want to tell Toothiana but as he dangled from the elevator his mind raced with negative thoughts. Thoughts about letting go. That it was for the best. He was a nobody that wouldn't be missed. But then he heard her pleas. He allowed himself to get close to someone. And if he would have given up then she would blame herself. A burden he knew far too much about. It was something he would never let her feel.

"Toothiana…"

But he couldn't let this happen either.

Tooth sniffled from underneath him, "Y-yes, Jack?"

Jack moved his arms and rubbed her elbows before forcing her away. Toothiana winced slightly as she looked into his eyes. They were sharp. She nearly flinched at the sight of them. The tears falling from her face stopped on their own. Tooth could feel her mouth grow dry and her throat grow sore. Her heart quickened in fear of his sudden anger. She put him in danger. Was he angry with her?

"You can't fall in love with me." He warned.

Toothiana's pupils enlarged, "W-wha…t?"

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews so far. It really helps my focus, haha. Anyway, please stay tuned because the importance of the clothes will be revealed next chapter. That as well as exactly who Olivia is (though that part is pretty obvious) and what happened to her. **

**P.S I thought I might confess that I myself was trapped in an elevator once. When Toothiana went to crawl through the small space…yeah, that actually happened to me. Only my aunt was the one holding me up not Jack –sigh- Oh, and I got through before the elevator crushed me.**


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